Writing for The Spectator, the Lichfield MP said he felt as though he had "undone a 20 year voting record" on feminist issues.

He said: "I tweeted something that cannot be excused and something for which I am still deeply embarrassed and ashamed.

"I immediately apologised as soon as I realised my mistake. In just 140 characters, I appeared to have undone a 20 year voting record that demonstrated what I believe and how passionately I feel about these issues."

He continued: "So what I tweeted cannot be excused and was simply wrong. Of course I do not—and have never—believed that it is acceptable for a man to hit a woman, or a man come to that (or even joke about doing so)."

He went on to suggest that some media reports of his Twitter comments, which were branded "completely unacceptable" by Downing Street, were "distorted" and "exaggerated".

He said: "Some of what I have read about me over the past few days is a distorted extrapolation of just one tweet and an exaggerated and misleading stereotype of what some people wish to believe a Conservative MP is like.

"And like Chinese whispers, I am now being quoted as tweeting comments that I have never made."

He added he would still to take part in a live debate with Ms Alibhai-Brown and hoped she would eventually accept his "sincere apology".

"We might actually agree on rather a lot," he said.

Mr Fabricant, known for being a prolific tweeter, was sacked as vice-chair of the Conservative Party in April after posting a critical tweet of Maria Miller and the HS2 rail scheme.

After news of Mrs Miller's resignation broke he said: "Well, about time."